


When Cats Play Cupid

by JustTooMuch



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Episode: s03e18 Teso Dos Bichos, F/M, Flirting, Hurt/Comfort, Jealousy, Light Angst, Mutual Pining, Smut, UST, UST to RST
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-17
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2020-09-06 04:30:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20285434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustTooMuch/pseuds/JustTooMuch
Summary: After being attacked by a cat while working a case, Scully has an allergic reaction and is in need of a little TLC.





	When Cats Play Cupid

**Author's Note:**

  * For [scullystarlight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/scullystarlight/gifts).

> This story was written for Nikayla // Scullystarlight. She wanted the following prompt from the episode Teso Dos Bichos.
> 
> Post-ep, after Scully was hurt, Mulder comfort/taking care of her (if she lets him, up to you!).
> 
> I really hope you love this and that I captured what you had in mind! This was a little nerve wracking at first because I have never participated in a fan fiction exchange before and I have always struggled to finish a story after starting one but this prompt was actually a lot of fun!

DANA SCULLY’S APARTMENT

GEORGETOWN, WASHINGTON, DC

APRIL 4, 1996

7:00 AM

She knew this would happen. Every last single bodily reaction that was currently happening to her, she knew would manifest by this time and here she was, a living reality of her worst nightmare. Standing in front of her bathroom sink mirror, she couldn’t help but grimace when she saw her bloodshot, swollen eyes staring back at her. Scratch marks that looked angry red all over her face, what could only be described as an unsightly rash on her chest and judging by the way even her cool silk nightshirt brushing against the skin of her back hurt, there was a rash there as well. Of course, how could she forget how she had just unloaded four sneezes in a row as soon as she turned the bathroom light on to pee which quickly turned into a coughing fit and now her breathing was a touch wheezy. Yes, Dana Scully was severely allergic to cats and here she was, looking every bit like a woman who was severely allergic to cats and was just attacked by one yesterday.

Scully sighed deeply and shook her head as she pumped some soap onto her hands and began rubbing them together under the hot running water, her eyes never leaving her reflection as her actions brought her closer to her mirror. It was even worse close up. Of course, she had never been a vain woman but that didn’t stop her from looking away from herself and down to her hands in the water. However, she was truly more concerned about the wheeziness that had started this morning when she woke up. That was a cause for concern and she didn’t want to be alone today just in case something should go wrong but she was still as stubborn as ever and did not want to go to the hospital. Besides, she was a medical doctor. She would be able to gage the severity of her reactions. So, after going through her usual morning routine except this time exchanging business pantsuits for a rather baggy shirt and loose-fitting pants so as to not irritate her rashes, she moved to her kitchen, started the coffee, and picked up her phone to call the one man she knew would take care of her the second she asked _and_ she wouldn’t mind looking like she had some disease in front of.

Across town, two hours later, Fox Mulder was unlocking the door to the office in the basement of the Hoover building and pushing it open. He flicked on the light switch and walked into the room as the lights overhead flickered a few annoying times until they remained steadily on. When he got to his desk, he put his jacket over the back of his chair and sat down slowly, glancing to the phone and noticing he only had one message waiting for him. He sighed as he picked up the phone and dialed the number to his voicemail. It was going to be a long, boring, caseless day. He couldn’t wait until Scully arrived. He was reduced to throwing pencils into the ceiling without her.

Mulder’s heart sank a little when he heard Scully’s voice come on the machine. She sounded tired and her voice was scratchy as she explained to him via the message that she was going to miss work today. He couldn’t help but scoff a little and shake his head when she started to explain that she had a simple cold and would be better soon. There was really no reason for him to go over to her apartment. Did she even know him at all? He knew she was the worst patient in the world so making a point to tell him she was fine and not to come over just meant she was worse off than she wanted to let on so he didn’t worry.

“Oh, Scully…” Mulder muttered as he deleted the message and then started to dial her home phone number he knew by heart. He could tell by the way she was speaking on the voicemail that she could use someone with her, even if only for the company. She sounded a little wheezy and he didn’t want to leave her alone even if it was only allegedly a small cold. She would do the same for him.

“Hello?” Scully’s scratchy voice could be heard on the other end of the line.

“Hey, Scully, it’s me. How are you feeling?” Mulder asked in a soft, gentle voice, frowning a little when he heard her start to move around and clear her throat before answering.

“I’m feeling alright. The voicemail I left at the office explained it all.” Was Scully’s hesitant answer.

“All you said was you had a small cold.”

“Yes. That’s exactly what it is, Mulder. Nothing more to it.”

Mulder hesitated for a moment before standing up and grabbing his jacket over the back of the chair. “I can be there in ten minutes with some soup, tissues, and a grocery bag full of movies.”

“No!” Scully practically yelled before she cleared her throat once more. “I mean, that won’t be necessary. Really. Just stay at work and have a _productive_ day. I better not see any new pencils in the ceiling when I get back.” She said with a slight smile in her voice, trying to make up for essentially yelling at him not to come over to her place and take care of her.

“Scully, I just want-” Mulder began with a sigh, stopping midsentence when he heard a distinctly male voice coming from the phone asking Scully if she wanted another blanket on the couch. He frowned deeply, pulled the phone away from his ear, stared at it in confusion, and then brought it back to his ear. “Is your brother with you?” He asked quietly, not wanting to be nosy but at the same time wanting to know what guy was there with her when she wouldn’t let him come over. He could feel the beginnings of a jealous twinge in his gut, something that had started to happen more often when Scully had the romantic attention of other men and even some women.

“What?” Scully asked distractedly before focusing on Mulder’s voice. “Oh, my brother? No, not my brother.”

Mulder raised his eyebrows and waited for Scully to finish her sentence, telling him who was there, but after a long pause he realized she wasn’t going to explain and really, she didn’t have to explain a man in her home to him. He was just her work partner after all. Oh, but did he want to ask…

“Okay…I guess I’ll see you at work tomorrow then? If you’re sure you don’t need anything?”

“I’m sure I don’t need anything. Hopefully I’ll be over this cold by tomorrow.” Scully’s voice said in Mulder’s ear before the mystery man’s voice was heard saying, “I’ll nurse you back to health, don’t worry.”

That voice. All smug and with a laugh at the end like he was the funniest man on the planet. Well, he most certainly was _not _and Mulder just somehow knew that for a fact.

Realizing he hadn’t responded, Mulder blinked a few times and looked down at his shoes, sighing a little. “Okay. I hope you feel better soon, Scully. Work without you is really…it’s not as stimulating.”

Scully laughed softly and hummed. Mulder could tell he might have warmed her heart just a little. Score one for him. “Mmm, well I’ll be there to stimulate you in no time… Oh, god, that sounded like grounds for sexual harassment.”

Mulder’s sulking face turned slowly into a sly smirk and he let out a boyish chuckle. “I look forward to it, Scully. I don’t think you could ever sexually harass me.”

Scully chuckled once again and Mulder could just tell that she was holding her free hand over her eyes and shaking her head. He knew her reactions to his comments well after three years. “Well now we are getting into dangerous territory, Agent Mulder.” She replied, her tone a little flirty. Something else that was new to them as well.

“I like to live on the edge, Agent Scully. As you well know.”

“Well keep that edge warm for me, Mulder. I’ll be back with you soon.” Scully replied in a soft tone. She felt a little guilty about yelling at him earlier. He just wanted to help her and that thought made her feel rather light inside.

“See you soon.” Mulder said tenderly before he hung up the phone. And he would see her soon. Sooner than she expected. He wasn’t just going to _not _investigate the man taking care of her. For her own safety of course. Besides, she was important to him. He cared about her. If she was sick, he wanted to be there for her even if that meant just dropping off some soup and a box of tissues and that was what he was going to do.

Taking the day off of work for Fox Mulder was as simple as walking into Skinner’s office and barely getting all of the words out. He knew he was a pain in the ass most days and had one too many sick days accumulated so a few minutes after his phone call with Scully ended, he was well on his way to the drug store around the corner. With a grocery cart soon filled with hand sanitizer, a thermometer, tissues, a nice relaxing looking face mask with beads in it that allegedly guaranteed a peaceful sleep, her favorite chicken noodle soup, a box of the herbal tea he usually saw her drinking when she had colds, a heating pad, a fluffy blanket that he had rubbed his hand against for an odd amount of time when he walked by it in the previous aisle, cough drops, and a few cheap and corny movies that only drug stores sold because he figured it would be fun to make fun of them together, he was almost done shopping. The last thing he wanted to get was some sort of medication for her but he knew she was picky with that stuff and he couldn’t remember if she had any home and what kind she liked best.

“Have a sick wife at home, too?”

When Mulder heard the voice of a man standing next to him, he moved his eyes away from the shelf filled with endless options of medications and looked at the elderly gentleman who was looking at the same shelf he was. He gave the man a small smile, the thought that was just put into his head making his heart skip a little. Scully. His wife. He never thought he would be the type to marry but being married to Scully was a new thought he would have to file in his brain for later review. “I…Yeah, I do. She had to take today off work so I know she must really not be feeling well.” Something inside of him did not want to correct the other man’s assumptions.

The older man chuckled and nodded his head as he grabbed a box of some fever reducer and carefully set it in his own cart that was filled not unlike Mulder’s. He then looked at Mulder and smiled softly. “My wife was always like that. She would never get off her feet unless she was really sick. You’re doing a good job taking care of her from what I can see.” He said kindly as he nodded to the filled-up cart Mulder was standing next to.

“I didn’t overdo it?”

“Absolutely not. Take good care of the woman you love, son.”

Mulder watched as the man gave him one last smile, nodded his head a little, and started to push his cart out of the aisle and out of sight.

After buying everything he had in his cart, any thoughts of overdoing it out the window with his conversation with a kind stranger, Mulder was on his way to Scully’s apartment. As he drove, he realized that he didn’t think his plan all the way through. What if the man he had heard on the phone was still there when he got there? What if that man was her lover? What if by coming over when she didn’t ask him to, he was going to interrupt what was supposed to be a quiet day in for two people in love? The thought made his stomach ache. Surely, she would have mentioned something if she was seeing someone. Right? Of course, it wasn’t any of his business but he would have noticed by now if she was. Unless the relationship was so new…

“Stop.” Mulder breathed out loud to himself, trying to silence his racing thoughts. He didn’t care if he was a third wheel or not, he was going to see Scully when she was sick and offer himself up to her for anything she would need, even if she just wanted to take the stuff he bought and tell him she would see him at work the next day.

When Scully’s apartment door opened after he knocked three times, he immediately wanted to turn around and walk back to his car and drive away, pretending like he was never there. The man who answered the door was an attractive, tall, dark, and handsome man who looked like he would have been prom king in high school. “Yes?” The man asked curiously as he opened the door a little.

Mulder stared at him, thinking about where he got the nerve to answer Scully’s door like it was his own. “I’m Mulder.” He said without thinking that his name probably meant nothing to this man. He was just getting ready to explain that he worked with Scully when the man smiled a little more and nodded his head, opening the door wider.

“So, you’re the famous Mulder, huh?”

Mulder raised his eyebrows at those words. Did…Did Scully talk about him to this man? “Yeah, I suppose I am.”

The man smiled as he stepped back from the door and motioned for Mulder to step in. “I’m Benjamin, by the way. I’m acting as Dana’s home health nurse today. I’m sure you heard she had a really bad allergic reaction.”

Mulder looked at Benjamin as he slowly stepped into the apartment, his eyebrows furrowing together in confusion. “I uh…well, she told me she had a cold not an allergic reaction to something.” He suddenly realized that he didn’t know of any allergies Scully had and it made him think about all of the other things he didn’t know about her that this guy might know. She clearly trusted Benjamin more than him. “Is she okay? What was she allergic to?”

Benjamin smiled and nodded his head as he closed the door. “Dana probably just didn’t want you to worry. A common cold sounds less dangerous than an allergic reaction and to answer your questions, yes she is fine apart from a little wheezing and some hives that we are watching and she is allergic to cats.”

Mulder slowly nodded his head, realization that the case they had been on yesterday was the culprit. He felt badly and sighed a little. “That was because she was attacked by a cat yesterday.” He mumbled more to himself than this guy. He did not know exactly what to say to this man other than interrogating him about why he was here and what exactly his relationship was with Scully…and why he kept calling her Dana.

“Yeah she told me.” Benjamin said as he nodded his head because of course he would know all about what happened to Scully. “Well I suppose you want to see her.” It wasn’t a question and he didn’t wait for an answer before turning and heading in the direction of the bedroom. Scully’s bedroom. Great, so they had been laying down together in the bedroom?

A soft voice pulled Mulder out of his thoughts and he looked up from the spot on the floor he had been staring blankly at to see his partner, looking tinier than ever, clad in a big shirt that swallowed her whole and of course, her lack of footwear didn’t help her grow any…and she was the cutest thing he had ever seen but he would never dare utter those words out loud.

“Mulder? What are you doing here?” Scully asked, not coming any closer to him than she had to.

“You never take off work so I knew this must have been a bad cold despite what you said on the phone.” Mulder said softly, his eyes gentle and tender as they looked over her messy hair. She looked like she had been up all night and his concern for her only grew. He took a step towards her but stopped when he saw her back up a little, moving back into the dark hallway’s shadows. He frowned deeply and watched her for a moment. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, Mulder, truly.” Scully sighed as she rubbed her fingers along her forehead. “I am just tired and I believe I told you that you didn’t have to come here.

“I know what you said over the phone but I was just worried about you. I know how you get when you don’t feel good and I wanted to see how you were. I didn’t know you were allergic to cats, Scully.”

Mulder could see Scully’s shoulders slump and watched as she turned her head to look at Benjamin who was now coming out of the bedroom. He didn’t have to see her face to know that she was giving him a glare for sharing that information.

“Yes, I am allergic to cats but really it’s the same thing as having a cold. I promise you, Mulder, I am going to be just fine. You should go back to work.” Scully said quickly. Something about her demeanor seemed off and he didn’t like the way she was keeping the most distance she could between herself and him.

“Why are you acting off? Can you please just come over here?” Mulder asked quietly, wishing that Benjamin would go anywhere else.

“No, Mulder! God! I told you, I am fine. I don’t know any other way to say it other than you can leave. There was a reason why I didn’t ask you to come over.” Scully shouted in frustration.

Mulder looked taken aback and simply stood rooted to the spot for a moment. He took in a deep breath and the slowly released it. “I just…I just wanted to see you. Make sure you were okay. Like a friend would but never mind. I’m sorry I misjudged our relationship. I’ll see you at work tomorrow, Agent Scully.” He turned and started to make his way to the door when he heard Scully shuffle forward a little but he didn’t turn around. He grabbed the door handle and turned when her voice cut through the now tension filled air.

“Wait, Mulder. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have-”

“No, it’s fine. Thank you for letting me know my place in your life.” Mulder said in a tone that made it clear he was pissed, hurt, and jealous. He opened the door and walked out, slamming it behind him. When she didn’t come after him, he knew he wasn’t overreacting. She really didn’t want him in her life other than at the bare minimum. He had thought they were starting to get closer lately but it had clearly just been on his end and it had been foolish.

Throughout the rest of the afternoon and evening, Scully tried to get Mulder to answer his phone but with no luck. She knew she had hurt him and that was the last thing she ever wanted to do. She knew that before she came to work on the X-Files, he was alone. He didn’t have friends at the FBI and his family was estranged. He had admitted to her on one late night stakeout in a car not too long ago that she was the closest person to him. That information at the time made her giddy but, in this moment, that knowledge made her sick. The closest person he had in his life just made him believe she didn’t want their relationship to be anything more than professional. After Mulder left her apartment in a hurry, she wanted to go after him but Benjamin had convinced her not to. He explained that a man like Mulder, based off of what she had told him about her work partner, would need time to cool down and would eventually come back to her when he was ready. Even though she wanted to chase after him, she knew Benjamin was right. Nothing got through to Mulder when he was upset or angry. She needed to let him come to her and when he did, she would welcome him in with open arms. As the day turned into night, it appeared that she would have to wait for that to happen when she saw him at work the next day.

Sighing, Scully slowly made her way into her living room and curled up on the couch, pulling the blanket draped across the back of it over her body. It was late and she had told Benjamin that he was free to leave. He had spent all day with her and she would be fine for the rest of the night on her own even though she didn’t feel any better than she had when she woke up. She really just wanted to be alone. Alone with Mulder. She stared absentmindedly into the fire she had started before sighing and looking to her phone that was laying on the coffee table. She had had that phone with her all day and now into the evening, hoping that Mulder would call.

Scully was so focused on the phone that she jumped in surprise when there was a knock on her door. Her heart skipped. It was late and the only person that would show up on her doorstep at this time of night without calling would be Mulder. She removed the blanket from her legs and stood up, walking over to the door. She stood on her toes and pressed her hands against the door for support as she looked out of the peephole. Her heart skipped another beat when she saw it was in fact Mulder. She quickly opened the door, her eyes pleading with him the second she was his face. “Mulder, I’m so sorry.” She breathed as she opened the door as wide as it could go and motioned for him to come in.

Mulder gave Scully a weak smile and shook his head as he walked into the apartment almost cautiously. Like he didn’t belong. He had felt this way so many times in his life but he never thought he would feel this way with her. “You don’t need to apologize. I guess I thought we had been getting closer lately…” He said quietly, cutting himself off as he shook his head. “Never mind. I just came back because I wanted to give you these things I bought for you earlier today. I have no use for them and if they sit in my apartment they will just go to waste.” He held up the grocery bags he had earlier with him from his drugstore shopping trip.

Scully quickly closed the door, the pain she was feeling because she had hurt him after he had come over with the intention of taking care of her was evident on her face. “Oh, Mulder.” She whispered softly before moving over to him and taking the bags from his hands. She set them on the kitchen counter and then wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. “We are close, Mulder. We are. I am so sorry. I never meant to make you feel like you were wrong to think that. I’m glad you’re here now.”

Mulder looked down at the tiny redhead attached to his body in surprise. Her behavior towards him was completely different than it was earlier but he couldn’t help but place one hand on her back, his other going into her hair as he held her close. “I’m sorry if I overreacted earlier.”

“You didn’t overreact. That was me.” Scully mumbled into Mulder’s chest before pulling away and looking up at him. “Can you stay a while? I know it’s late but…”

“No, I can stay. I have nowhere else to be. I’m all yours.” Mulder said as he looked into Scully’s eyes, his hand going up to one of the cuts on her cheek. He gently brushed the backs of his fingers against her skin and sighed. Just as he was about to ask how she was feeling, she pulled completely away from his arms and ran to the living room, grabbing a tissue from the box on the coffee table and sneezed into it, groaning. “I’m sorry…That has to be the hundredth sneeze today.” She mumbled into the tissue.

Mulder frowned sadly and walked over to Scully, placing a gentle hand on her back once he reached her. “How long do your allergic reactions last for?”

Scully was about to answer when Mulder’s hand on her back made her skin start to itch there. That was another unpleasant reaction. She had been scratching all day with no relief and the fabric of her clothes moving against her skin triggered the itching. “Oh god, Mulder can you scratch my back.” It really wasn’t a question as she started to move her back a little against his hand.

Mulder looked at Scully in surprise for moment before chuckling a little bit and nodding his head. He placed his hands on her waist, ignoring the tingling in his abdomen that had started, and moved her over to the couch with him. They sat down together on the edge of the couch, her back to his front, and he gently lifted the back of her shirt up. When he saw her back, he gently ran his hand over the red patches all along her skin. “This is pretty bad Scully.”

“Mulder, scratch!”

Quickly, Mulder started to scratch up and down Scully’s back and noticed for the first time she wasn’t wearing a bra. Oh god. He closed his eyes and shook his head. Now was not the time to sexualize his best friend. He opened his eyes again and the sight he was met with didn’t help his efforts not to sexualize her. She had her head tilted back and from this angle he could see her mouth hanging open in pleasure and her eyes closed. Was this her pre-orgasm face?

“God, Mulder.” Scully moaned in a voice barely above a whisper and then sighed like this was the most peaceful thing for her. Little did she know that she was turning her partner on behind her.

Mulder smiled fondly as he continued to scratch Scully. “The one thing I didn’t buy you was anything for itching.” He whispered softly to her, his one hand brushing her hair a little off her neck.

“Mmm, it’s okay. I have calamine lotion on the table.” Scully practically purred as she leaned into Mulder’s fingers even more, her one hand barely lifting enough to point out the bottle on her coffee table.

“Do you want me to use that on you?”

Scully slowly opened her eyes and looked back at Mulder, noticing how he was looking at her, definitely differently somehow. She considered him for a moment longer before nodding her head. “If you wouldn’t mind. It’s difficult trying to reach my back. I was going to have Ben do it but then I forgot to ask before he left.” At the mention of Ben, she noticed the way Mulder’s eyes narrowed slightly and almost did a half roll, his jaw clenched and his fingers faltered on her back a little. Speaking of jealousy. Now that reaction was interesting. “…but I would much rather have your hands on me.” She said innocently. Maybe she was just trying to make up for the fact that she made him feel so unwanted or maybe his hands on her bare back and the fact that he was here and so caring made her feel bold. Their flirting had never really come close to crossing any lines but she had been wanting to test those waters for some time now. She liked him. She was very intrigued by him and she would only be kidding herself if she pretended she wasn’t very attracted to him.

Mulder looked at Scully with a quirked eyebrow before his jaw relaxed and his eyes widened with a boy like wonder in them. Without a word, his throat was a little dry at the moment now, he reached for the lotion. He popped off the cap and squeezed some out on his hand. He then set the bottle down, made sure her shirt was still off her back with one hand, and then gently started to apply the lotion to her back. He made sure to cover each red patch carefully, his fingers working the lotion into her skin until it was no longer wet. He then placed his hands flat on her back and slowly slid them down to her waist. He was so tempted to just wrap his arms around her and slide his hands up her stomach to her breasts but instead he simply pulled her shirt back into place and untucked a fee strands of her hair from her shirt collar. “Want me to do your front now?”

Scully laughed as she turned around to face him on the couch. She smirked as she leaned towards him and shook her head. “I don’t believe I have any hives on the front of my body. What reason would you have for rubbing lotion there?” She teased him. She was starting to really love their banter back and forth. It had been so long since she flirted with someone and it was actually fun for her.

Mulder smirked and leaned closer to her, gently brushing her bangs back from her forehead. “I could think of a few reasons.” It was bold and risky and he knew that. If she responded positively then it would be fine but if she started to back off a little, he could always downplay it like he was just teasing her and they would never bring it up again.

Suddenly, Scully was burying her now beat red face into the crook of her arm as she coughed and tried to regulate her breathing, coughing jag overtaking her out of nowhere.

“Are you okay?”

Scully managed to nod her head a little once the coughing subsided. She groaned a little as the pounding in her head started again. One could only cough and sneeze so much before the headaches started. She was such a mess and the worst part was it was all happening in front of the one person she didn’t want seeing her like this. She wasn’t exactly the sexiest she’s ever been. 

Mulder winced and gently rubbed Scully’s back once again. “Okay, let me take of you.” He didn’t think _Benjamin _was doing such a hot job seeing as how he was gone and left her alone still feeling awful. That was two points for him now and zero for Benjamin as far as he was concerned.

Scully didn’t look up from the couch as she sighed and then closed her eyes. “Okay…” She breathed quietly.

At her consent, Mulder stood up and then picked up her legs, helping her to lay down on the couch. He walked into the kitchen where his grocery bags filled with the stuff he bought earlier were still laying. He grabbed the fluffy blanket, the tissues, cough drops, and some hand sanitizer and walked back to her. He smiled softly down at her as he slowly dropped to his knees. He draped the blanket over her body and tucked her in tightly, he then opened one of the cough drops and held it out to her lips, a little nervous at the gesture. He watched as her blue eyes locked with his after she glanced at the cough drop for a moment. His heart skipped several beats when she opened her mouth without breaking eye contact. He carefully placed the red drop on her tongue, the tips of his two fingers getting slightly wet form the contact that he accidently made with her tongue. It seemed like a lifetime had passed before she gave him a small, relaxed smile and began to suck on the lozenge. “Thank you.” She mumbled around the candy.

Mulder gently cupped Scully’s cheek and caressed her skin almost longingly before taking a deep breath and leaning down towards her face. He pressed his lips gently against her forehead and left a soft but lingering kiss there before pulling back. “You’re welcome.” He then set the tissues on the floor in her arms reach along with a bottle of hand sanitizer as a joke. “Remember when I thought you were actually sick, you little deceiver?”

Scully chucked as she pushed the cough drop into her cheek with her tongue so she could talk. “I wasn’t lying. I am technically unwell which is another term for sick.”

“Okay, Attorney Scully you can rest your case.” Mulder said with a chuckle as he cupped her jaw, his thumb caressing her skin there. “I bought you some chicken noodle soup, herbal tea, and some very cheesy movies. Interested?”

Scully smiled warmly as she snuggled into her couch but leaned her head into his hand. “Thank you for doing this for me, Mulder and yes, I am very much interested but only on one condition. You have to stay and eat with me and watch the cheesy movies.”

Mulder gave Scully a tender smile. “Nowhere else I would rather be than with my redheaded falsifier.”

Scully laughed happily, shaking her head. God, she made a mistake. She could have called him this morning and they could have been doing this all day. This was all she wanted. To spend time with him that didn’t involve working. Instead she had been so disturbingly vain about what her allergy made her look like and sound like and here he was, not caring in the slightest at least from what she could tell.

As it turned out, Mulder sitting on her couch with her, eating chicken noodle soup, drinking tea, and laughing themselves silly at the tacky movies he picked out was the best medicine for her. She didn’t itch or cough once and her breathing was a little easier now. When the food was eaten and empty bowls and mugs were on the coffee table, their last movie was coming to an end but Mulder surprising Scully with his gentleness wasn’t. Without moving his eyes from the tv, he reached his hand over and very tenderly cupped the back of her neck before starting to give her a massage. She liquefied into his side instantly. Her eyes fluttered a little at his touch and her head fell forward just slightly. He had such good hands. They were big and calloused but his touch was tender and light. It made for a pleasurable combination. Those good hands were working every knot and pain out of her neck and shoulders. “Thank you.” She whispered.

“Mmm, not a problem.” Mulder said in an equally hushed tone, not wanting to break the bubble they were in.

They both remained in comfortable silence for a while before Mulder cleared his throat and took in a deep breath. “I am jealous of Ben…” He admitted quietly.

Scully frowned and opened her eyes, straightening up a little. She looked over at Mulder who had his eyes closed, his hand now simply resting on the back of her neck.

“You were jealous? Why?” Scully asked softly.

“Because…you wanted him here and not me. I think that’s why I ran out of here so fast and why I didn’t return your calls. Well, I _know_ that’s the reason.”

“Do you see me as something other than just Agent Scully…” Scully asked hesitantly.

Those words were what made Mulder finally open his eyes and look at Scully, his expression softening a little and he nodded his head. His hand slowly fell away from her neck and back to his own lap. “You don’t think I see you as anything more than-than what? My work partner?”

Scully knew by the sudden warmth she felt on her cheeks that she was blushing. She was thankful it was relatively dark in her living room now. “Sometimes it’s hard to tell with you. You are so charming and you seem to flirt with everyone. Sometimes I don’t think I am anything special to you.” She finally admitted with a quiet sigh. “Do you see me as more than just your partner? Do you see me? Actually me as a woman?”

Mulder sat up a little straighter and looked at Dana with an intensity that made her look down to her lap. “Of course I see you as a woman. I see you as my strong and very capable partner that I would trust in any situation to have my back but I also see you as a very beautiful…sexy woman.” He said softly, a gentle smile forming on his lips when her mouth fell open just slightly at the word ‘sexy’.”

“You think I’m sexy?”

Mulder hummed and nodded his head slowly. “Oh yeah.” He admitted with a soft chuckle before becoming a little shy himself. “I believe most people think you are.”

Scully let out a breathy chuckle and shook her head. “I don’t care what anyone else thinks except for you.” She confessed. “I only care that you think that way about me. Which was why I didn’t call you this morning. I know when you came over and saw Ben here taking care of me, it hurt you.”

Mulder waved his hand in the air and shrugged trying not to get upset again. “It’s fine. You’re in a relationship with him. It’s understandable that you would want him here.”

Scully took in a deep breath and shook her head. “No, that’s not it. I’m not in any sort of romantic relationship with Ben. He’s my cousin.” She said with a soft smile, secretly adoring the way Mulder perked up. “When I woke up this morning, I had all of my standard allergic reaction symptoms but the one that concerned me the most was my wheezing. I knew that could turn into shortness of breath quickly and if it did, I didn’t want to be alone. My brothers don’t live around here and my mother is visiting her sister out of town so my closest relative that I trusted and I knew would drop everything to help me was Ben. I called him instead of you for a very vain reason that I really don’t even want to say…”

Mulder looked at Scully in surprise and shook his head. “What was the reason? You have to tell me now.” He added with a gentle smirk.

Scully huffed out a small laugh before lowering her eyes to the couch. “I-I was embarrassed. Of what I look like right now.” She said with a small sigh before looking up into Mulder’s eyes. “Talk about juvenile. I didn’t think you thought of me as attractive and this, all of these hives and me walking around in my baggy clothes without any makeup, I didn’t think that would help sway you into the right direction. I just… You would have been my first choice otherwise.”

Mulder smiled in understanding. “Don’t beat yourself up so much for allowing yourself to act like anyone else would in that situation. I would have felt the same if I was you. I just hope you know that I think you’re beautiful all the time. Right now, you’re stunning to me. So you have hives? And? I don’t want to trivialize your feelings by saying that but you had nothing to worry about with me. Hopefully now you’ll know that I will always be attracted to you and yes, I very much see you as a woman, Dana.” He said softly, using her first name on purpose.

The two of them sat silently on the couch side by side for a few minutes as they let the weight of what each of them had just revealed sink in. They just confessed their feelings of attraction to each other… Now the thought of acting on them was a possibility and they both wanted it.

“You know,” Scully began with a soft smile gracing her lips. “Back when I was in college, I remember reading about things one can do when they are sick. My allergic reactions are basically the same as when I have a cold. Do you know what one of those things were?” She asked with a now coy smile.

“Are you coming on to me, Scully?” Mulder asked with a small chuckle.

Scully simply smirked and shook her head. “No, I’m not coming on to you,” And in a moment of bravery fueled by a cocktail of medicine and his confession, she slowly moved to straddle his hips. “Now I am.” She breathed softly as she draped her arms around his shoulders. Her dark, hooded eyes watched him carefully, noticing the way he was struggling to keep his eyes above her neck. “It’s okay. You can look and you can definitely touch. This has been a long time coming, Mulder.” She breathed softly to him.

Taking that invitation to heart, Mulder’s eyes immediately dropped down to Scully’s chest. He could just make out the tops of her breasts and with only a little hesitation, he leaned forward and lightly kissed along the tops of her breasts.

The little hesitant kisses Mulder was placing along her breasts made Scully arch her back a little, desire already starting to pool in her abdomen. Without a word, she ran her fingers through the hairs at the nape of his neck and gently pulled his head back. She smirked softly at him and leaned forward so she could trace her lips along his jawline, delicately nipping occasionally. She kissed along the path of his delicious skin that lead to his ear. She softly bit the lobe and then whispered in his ear, her breath hot against him as her hands slipped below the hem of his shirt and she started to push it up. “I need you, Mulder.”

Mulder could only nod his head, his mind short-circuiting a little when Scully’s skilled hands moved to his abdomen and started tracing patterns there. His eyes stayed locked on her face as she removed his shirt and threw it on the couch. The way her eyes darkened even more than they had been caused him to grow harder. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her and that thought was the biggest turn on. Her soft hands slowly slide up his abdomen and to his chest, his warm skin and hard muscles all hers for the taking and they both knew that. She moved her hands along his strong shoulders that carried so much of the world on them, down his arms and to his hands that always wrapped around her and kept her safe and comfortable even when she didn’t realize how much she wanted his comfort.

Scully laced their fingers together before she captured his lips in a tender kiss. She squeezed his hands and started to faintly rock her hips into his. Their kisses were slow and lazy but oh so sweet. The room was silent except for the occasional crack of the fire place or a sharp intake of breath or a quiet pant of air through a sigh as their hips found a perfect rhythm. Wanting more, Scully moved her hands to his waist and started to kiss down his neck and along his chest. Her kisses were still slow but her mouth was a little more open on his skin and she sucked a little harder, hoping to mark him maybe just a little. She normally was turned off by that but with Mulder, she could see the appeal. After creating a small red mark on his chest, she retraced her path of kisses back up to his lips, dropping a kiss on his now smiling lips. She looked into his eyes for a moment before starting to move her hips back along his thighs. Her fingers traced the skin right above the button on his pants before she began to undo them torturously slowly. She looked back up into his eyes but smiled when she saw his eyes now closed and his mouth hanging open just slightly in anticipation. She adored that she could do this for him.

Scully slowly slipped from his lap and nodded to his pants. “Those could come off. Right?” She asked with a tiny smile.

Mulder slowly opened his eyes and closed his mouth, his lips curving into a tender smile. “There isn’t a thing I wouldn’t do for you, Scully and this is certainly one of the easiest things I’ll ever had to do.” He said with a chuckle before his fingers moved to his zipper and he slid it down. When he lifted his hips to remove his pants, he suddenly became a little nervous. This was the first time she was going to see him naked… He took in a deep breath and started to lift his hips anyway. She wanted this and she was going to get it. His nerves started to dissipate as he watched her cross her arms and reach for the hem of her shirt, pulling it over her head and throwing it on the floor. He stopped his actions, his hips frozen in the air as he stared at her. She was just in her pants now and that was it. “Oh my god…”

Scully felt a heat rise in her cheeks at Mulder’s undivided attention. He was staring at her like all of his boyhood fantasies had just come true. “I have rendered Agent Mulder speechless? I think I need to call Skinner.”

That snapped Mulder out of his stare. “No. Why would you ever bring up that man at a time like this?” He teased Scully playfully as he pushed his pants down to his ankles and kicked them off.

“I’m sorry. Don’t picture him. Just focus on getting your clothes off so I can sit back on your lap.” Scully whispered in the most seductive voice Mulder had ever heard.

“I-I can do that.” Mulder breathed quietly; all joking gone as the mental image of what she just described filed his mind.

Scully watched Mulder hook his fingers into his boxers and lift his hips, the image causing her eyes to become hooded and arousal to start to practically drip from her. Her pants were becoming far too uncomfortable. As quickly as she could, her body practically quivering when he released himself from his last remaining article of clothing and she saw him for the first time, she removed her pants and her panties in one swift motion. “Mulder…”

That was all she needed to whisper and he knew. He quickly nodded his head, took her hands, and pulled her between his legs. He held her waist as he took her nipple into his mouth and closed his eyes. He hummed softly as his tongue worked over the hardening bud. Scully’s head tilted back and she closed her eyes with a long, drawn out sigh. This felt so wonderful to her and it had been so long since she had a man do this.

Scully felt she was a fairly patient woman but after several minutes had passed with Mulder showering her breasts with attention and his fingers teasing her thighs, she needed so much more. Without warning, she straddled his lap once again and connected their lips in a burning kiss. His hands moved from her body to her face, cupping her cheeks almost reverently as their tongues brushed against each other’s. “Tell me what you want, Scully.” He mumbled into their kisses, his lips brushing against hers.

Scully whimpered into his mouth, all of her years of fantasies coming to the forefront of her mind. Without pulling away from his hungry mouth, she rocked her hips into his a little and whispered. “I want your mouth on me. I don’t think you know how many nights I’ve imagined what that would feel like.”

That was all Mulder needed to hear. He moved his hands back to her ass, squeezed a little, and then stood up with Scully in his arms all while keeping their sloppy, heated kisses going. “Bedroom?”

“Mmm.” Was all Scully could muster in this moment. He was holding her up. Not something she would usually find erotic, more caveman like, but with Mulder, god did she ever. She could feel her pelvis throbbing for him now.

Mulder carried Scully into the bedroom, bumping his shoulder into the wall and groaning in pain into their kisses causing her to laugh. He chuckled softly as well before pulling his head back and actually opening his eyes, watching where he was going the rest of the way. Once he got into the bedroom safely, he gently set her down on the bed and crawled in after her, settling between her already spread legs. She wanted him and was ready and that was so sexy to him. He gently placed both of her legs over his shoulders and let his hands rest on the outsides of her thighs, caressing them delicately. He could feel her fingers reach for his hair and begin to play with it when he moved in. He nuzzled her folds a little before flattening his tongue, soft and slow, against her clit, stroking each side and then the center, licking her like she was the best damn ice cream cone he ever had and he wanted to get every drop before it melted. When he felt she had enough teasing, he focused on one spot and kept his tongue stroking her at a fast but steady pace. She kept gasping and letting out tiny little whimpers, her breathing becoming heavier and her hips starting to very subtly grind against his mouth.

When Mulder’s jaw started to get a little sore, he pulled his lips back and looked up at Scully with an amused expression when he heard her answering groan of frustration, her fingers still in his hair and tugging slightly.

“No, Mulder, I was getting there…” Scully whined. 

Mulder smirked and hummed nodding his head. “Oh, I know. Do you really think I would leave you hanging, partner?” He asked before moving her legs off his shoulders and spreading them apart as far as they would go. He looked down at her center, his breath getting heavier as well when he saw her glistening. He did this for her. He made her this aroused and he was so proud of that. Just the sight of her made the slight ache in his jaw disappear and he was back at it, the small break making her more sensitive to his tongue, her voice crying out and her back arching when he connected with her throbbing clit once more. He sucked the hardened bud into his mouth and used just the tip of his tongue to flick over it. He could feel her getting closer and closer to the edge. Her hips were moving against him faster, she was moaning and calling his name and god’s over and over again, and then she was warning him, “I’m going to…Oh god, Mulder. Don’t stop!”

He didn’t and she was thrown over the edge of pleasure violently. She began to shake and arched so far off the bed Mulder was concerned for her back…but judging from the sounds she was currently making she was just fine. He kept his hands on her lower back, rubbing softly until she was finished. He licked her once more from bottom to top before he looked up into her eyes and watched her practically melt back into the bed, her legs spreading out. He slowly slid up her body and kissed his way up to her lips. As they shared slow, lazy kisses, their soft smiles growing on their lips, he started to rock his hips slowly into hers, moaning with her. She was so wet and he was so hard and together the rocking of his hips was enough to make them both squirm with need.

Mulder placed his hands on either side of Scully’s head and kissed her lips once more before lifting his body up off of hers. He took his cock in his hand, gave it two very unnecessary strokes, and then lined himself up with her dripping entrance, slowly pushing into her until she gasped. Her nails sunk into his shoulders and her eyes slammed shut. “Oh, Muuuulder…” She huffed out breathlessly.

Mulder’s eyes opened, almost black with desire as he watched Scully below him. He was buried deep inside of her warm, wet heat and he needed to move. It was a primal need. His hips started to rock slowly but he was being incited by her unrestrained moans and his hips soon found the perfect rhythm with hers, sliding almost all the way out before slamming back in.

Everything was too much and not enough all at the same time. The pleasure they were both getting from each other, almost enough but not quite there. His hard cock pulsating now, on the verge of relief, while her walls started to flutter deliciously around the almost steel inside of her. They were in perfect sync even now.

Mulder felt Scully freeze below him, her head thrown back and mouth open in a silent scream before she started to shutter against him, fire racing through her veins, her moans almost guttural now. “Oh god!” She whimpered over and over again as her body found its release. It was more than Mulder could handle and without warning, his own orgasm took over him, his hips thrusting slow but so, so hard as he emptied himself into her.

They continued to move against each other, milking the other for all they were worth, until their sensitive bodies started to jerk away from each other, the pleasure they had been feeling starting to turn into a slight pain. Mulder slowly pulled out of Scully, their echoing groans bouncing off the silent apartment walls. They laid boneless and very happy next to each other on the bed, panting and staring up at the ceiling. It was only when she felt a chill pass through her and the stickiness between her legs started to become too uncomfortable, the peaceful silence was broken. “Mmm, I don’t even itch now.” She breathed into the calm. They both laughed.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed!


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